Display device with touch detecting function and electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

A touch panel is disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the touch panel includes a substrate with first and second surfaces, a drive electrode facing the first surface, a plurality of touch detection electrodes facing the second surface, and a dummy electrode between adjacent touch detection electrodes. Each touch detection electrode includes a first conductive thin wire extending parallel to the first and second surfaces. The dummy electrode includes a second conductive thin wire extending along the first conductive thin wire. The first conductive thin wire includes a first bent portion and a second bent portion alternately arranged with the first conductive thin wire having a zigzag pattern. The second conductive thin wire includes a third bent portion and a slit that are alternately arranged. The third bent portion is arranged on a virtual straight line formed by virtually connecting the first bent portions of one first conductive thin wire.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and the benefit as acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/401,315,filed May 2, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/652,393, filed Jul. 18, 2017, which is a continuation ofSer. No. 14/861,676, filed Sep. 22, 2015, which claims priority to andthe benefit as a continuation application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/219,212, filed Mar. 19, 2014, which claims priority toJapanese Priority Patent Application JP 2013-067515, filed in the JapanPatent Office on Mar. 27, 2013, the entire contents of each of which arehereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a display device capable of detectingan external proximity object and an electronic apparatus, and inparticular to a display device with a touch detecting function capableof detecting an external proximity object based on a change incapacitance and an electronic apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

Touch detection devices capable of detecting an external proximityobject, which are what is called a touch panel, have been attractingattention in recent years. Touch panels are attached or integrated ondisplay devices, such as liquid-crystal display devices, and are usedfor display devices with a touch detecting function. In display deviceswith a touch detecting function, displaying various types of buttonimages and the like on a display device enables input of informationusing the touch panel as a substitute for general mechanical buttons.Such display devices with a touch detecting function including a touchpanel require no input device, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and akeypad. As a result, display devices with a touch detecting functionhave been increasingly used for portable information terminals, such asmobile phones, besides for computers.

Some types of technologies for touch detection devices are known,including optical, resistive, and capacitive type, for example. Byapplying a capacitive touch detection device to a portable informationterminal, it is possible to provide an apparatus with a relativelysimple structure and less power consumption. Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-open Publication No. 2010-197576 (JP-A-2010-197576), for example,discloses a touch panel that makes a transparent electrode patterninvisible.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2011-059771(JP-A-2011-059771) discloses a mesh-shaped conductive pattern includinga mesh pattern that is at least partially separated and excellent ininvisibility even at a discontinuous section, a base material with aconductor layer pattern including the mesh-shaped conductive pattern,and a touch panel member.

To provide a display device with a touch detecting function having asmaller thickness, a larger screen, or higher definition, it isnecessary to lower the resistance of a touch detection electrode. Thetouch detection electrode is made of a translucent conductive oxide,such as an indium tin oxide (ITO), serving as a material of atranslucent electrode. To lower the resistance of the touch detectionelectrode, it is effective to use a conductive material, such as a metalmaterial. The conductive material, such as a metal material, transmitsless light than a transparent conductive oxide, such as ITO does. Thismay result in reduced transmittance or visual recognition of the patternof the touch detection electrode. To address this, a dummy electrodepattern having the same light-shielding property as that of the touchdetection electrode is arranged between touch detection electrodepatterns. This can reduce the possibility that the touch detectionelectrode pattern is visually recognized. The dummy electrode patternnot contributing to touch detection needs to be finely divided by slitsbecause it generates capacity difference between the dummy electrode andthe touch detection electrode.

In the case where both a touch detection electrode having no slit and adummy electrode having slits are arranged, it is necessary to make theslits hard to visually recognize. This is because visual recognition ofthe slits leads to visual recognition of the dummy electrode. To addressthis, there has been developed a technology for increasing theinconspicuousness of the slits by devising the shape of the slits asdisclosed in JP-A-2011-059771. The technology disclosed inJP-A-2011-059771, however, may possibly cause the slits to be visuallyrecognized depending on the positional relation between color areas andthe slits in the display device.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a display device with atouch detecting function and an electronic apparatus that can reduce thepossibility that a slit of the dummy electrode made of a conductivematerial, which hardly transmits light, is visually recognized.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect, a display device with a touch detecting functionincludes: a substrate; a display area in which pixels each composed of aplurality of color areas are arranged in a matrix on a plane parallel toa surface of the substrate; a touch detection electrode including afirst conductive thin wire extending in a first direction on a planeparallel to the surface of the substrate; a dummy electrode provided toan area in which the first conductive thin wire is not arranged in adirection perpendicular to the surface of the substrate and including aplurality of second conductive thin wires; a drive electrode havingcapacitance for the touch detection electrode; and a display functionallayer having a function to display an image on the display area. Each ofthe second conductive thin wires includes a plurality of thin wirepieces extending in a direction different from the first direction andis divided by a slit between the thin wire pieces. A color area in thedisplay area with which the slit overlaps has a different color from acolor area in the display area with which a slit closest to the slit ina second direction orthogonal to the first direction overlaps.

According to another aspect, a display device with a touch detectingfunction includes: a substrate; a display area in which pixels eachcomposed of a plurality of color areas are arranged in a matrix on aplane parallel to a surface of the substrate; a touch detectionelectrode including a first conductive thin wire extending in a firstdirection on a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate; a dummyelectrode provided to an area in which the first conductive thin wire isnot arranged in a direction perpendicular to the surface of thesubstrate and including a plurality of second conductive thin wires; adrive electrode having capacitance for the touch detection electrode;and a display functional layer having a function to display an image onthe display area. The second conductive thin wires are provided parallelto a pixel array direction, in which the pixels are arranged. Each ofthe second conductive thin wires includes: a first thin wire piecehaving a portion extending in a direction different from the firstdirection and arranged at a first arrangement pitch in a seconddirection orthogonal to the first direction; and a second thin wirepiece having a portion extending in a direction different from the firstdirection, being as long as the first thin wire piece in the firstdirection, and arranged at a second arrangement pitch different from thefirst arrangement pitch in the second direction. The first thin wirepiece and the second thin wire piece are arranged so as not to overlapwith each other in the first direction. An end of the first thin wirepiece and an end of the second thin wire piece are arranged in thesecond direction and do not overlap with each other, thereby forming aslit to divide the second conductive thin wire.

According to another aspect, an electronic apparatus includes a displaydevice with a touch detecting function. The display device with a touchdetecting function includes: a substrate; a display area in which pixelseach composed of a plurality of color areas are arranged in a matrix ona plane parallel to a surface of the substrate; a touch detectionelectrode including a first conductive thin wire extending in a firstdirection on a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate; a dummyelectrode provided to an area in which the first conductive thin wire isnot arranged in a direction perpendicular to the surface of thesubstrate and including a plurality of second conductive thin wires; adrive electrode having capacitance for the touch detection electrode;and a display functional layer having a function to display an image onthe display area. Each of the second conductive thin wires includes aplurality of thin wire pieces extending in a direction different fromthe first direction and is divided by a slit between the thin wirepieces. A color area in the display area with which the slit overlapshas a different color from a color area in the display area with which aslit closest to the slit in a second direction orthogonal to the firstdirection overlaps.

According to another aspect, an electronic apparatus includes a displaydevice with a touch detecting function. The display device with a touchdetecting function includes: a substrate; a display area in which pixelseach composed of a plurality of color areas are arranged in a matrix ina first direction on a plane parallel to a surface of the substrate; atouch detection electrode including a first conductive thin wireextending on a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate; a dummyelectrode provided to an area in which the first conductive thin wire isnot arranged in a direction perpendicular to the surface of thesubstrate and including a plurality of second conductive thin wires; adrive electrode having capacitance for the touch detection electrode;and a display functional layer having a function to display an image onthe display area. The second conductive thin wires are provided parallelto a pixel array direction, in which the pixels are arranged. Each ofthe second conductive thin wires includes: a first thin wire piecehaving a portion extending in a direction different from the firstdirection and arranged at a first arrangement pitch in a seconddirection orthogonal to the first direction; and a second thin wirepiece having a portion extending in a direction different from the firstdirection, being as long as the first thin wire piece in the firstdirection, and arranged at a second arrangement pitch different from thefirst arrangement pitch in the second direction. The first thin wirepiece and the second thin wire piece are arranged so as not to overlapwith each other in the first direction. An end of the first thin wirepiece and an end of the second thin wire piece are arranged in thesecond direction and do not overlap with each other, thereby forming aslit to divide the second conductive thin wire.

Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will beapparent from the following Detailed Description and the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary configuration of a displaydevice with a touch detecting function according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view illustrating a state where no finger is incontact or in proximity with a device for explanation of the basicprinciple of a capacitive touch detection technology;

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining an example of an equivalent circuit inthe state where no finger is in contact or in proximity with a deviceillustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating a state where a finger is incontact or in proximity with a device for explanation of the basicprinciple of the capacitive touch detection technology;

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining an example of the equivalent circuit inthe state where the finger is in contact or in proximity with a deviceillustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an example of a waveform of a drive signal and atouch detection signal;

FIG. 7 is a view of an example of a module on which the display devicewith a touch detecting function is mounted;

FIG. 8 is a view of another example of the module on which the displaydevice with a touch detecting function is mounted;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a schematic sectional structure of adisplay unit with a touch detecting function according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of pixel arrangement of the display unitwith a touch detecting function according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an exemplary configuration of driveelectrodes and touch detection electrodes of the display device with atouch detecting function according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a timing waveform chart of an exemplary operation of thedisplay device with a touch detecting function according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 13 is a schematic of arrangement of a touch detection electrode anda dummy electrode according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a schematic of arrangement of the touch detection electrodeand the dummy electrode according to a modification of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 15 is a view for explaining the positional relation between slitsof the dummy electrode and color areas of a display area according tothe first embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a view for explaining the positional relation between slitsof the dummy electrode and the color areas of the display area accordingto a comparative example;

FIG. 17 is a schematic of arrangement of a touch detection electrode anda dummy electrode according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a schematic of arrangement of a touch detection electrode anda dummy electrode according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a schematic of arrangement of the touch detection electrodeand the dummy electrode according to a modification of the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 20 is a schematic of arrangement of a touch detection electrode anda dummy electrode according to a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a schematic of arrangement of the touch detection electrodeand the dummy electrode according to a modification of the fourthembodiment;

FIG. 22 is a schematic of arrangement of a touch detection electrode anda dummy electrode according to a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a schematic of arrangement of the touch detection electrodeand the dummy electrode according to a modification of the fifthembodiment;

FIG. 24 is a view for explaining the positional relation between slitsof the dummy electrode and color areas of a display area according tothe fifth embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a schematic for explaining a pixel array direction accordingto the first, the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifthembodiments and the modifications thereof (hereinafter, referred to asthe present embodiments);

FIG. 26 is a schematic for explaining another pixel array directionaccording to the present embodiments;

FIG. 27 is a schematic for explaining the pixel array directionaccording to the present embodiments;

FIG. 28 is another schematic for explaining the pixel array directionaccording to the present embodiments;

FIG. 29 is a sectional view of a schematic sectional structure of thedisplay unit with a touch detecting function according to the presentembodiments;

FIG. 30 is a schematic of an example of an electronic apparatus to whichthe display device with a touch detecting function or the display deviceaccording to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 31 is a schematic of an example of an electronic apparatus to whichthe display device with a touch detecting function or the display deviceaccording to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 32 is another schematic of the example of the electronic apparatusto which the display device with a touch detecting function or thedisplay device according to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 33 is a schematic of an example of an electronic apparatus to whichthe display device with a touch detecting function or the display deviceaccording to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 34 is a schematic of an example of an electronic apparatus to whichthe display device with a touch detecting function or the display deviceaccording to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 35 is a schematic of an example of an electronic apparatus to whichthe display device with a touch detecting function or the display deviceaccording to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 36 is another schematic of the example of the electronic apparatusto which the display device with a touch detecting function or thedisplay device according to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 37 is still another schematic of the example of the electronicapparatus to which the display device with a touch detecting function orthe display device according to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 38 is still another schematic of the example of the electronicapparatus to which the display device with a touch detecting function orthe display device according to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 39 is still another schematic of the example of the electronicapparatus to which the display device with a touch detecting function orthe display device according to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 40 is still another schematic of the example of the electronicapparatus to which the display device with a touch detecting function orthe display device according to the present embodiments is applied;

FIG. 41 is still another schematic of the example of the electronicapparatus to which the display device with a touch detecting function orthe display device according to the present embodiments is applied; and

FIG. 42 is a schematic of an example of the electronic apparatus towhich the display device with a touch detecting function or the displaydevice according to the present embodiments is applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary aspects (embodiments) according to the present disclosure aredescribed in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.The contents disclosed in the following embodiments are not intended tolimit the present disclosure. Components described below includecomponents easily conceivable by those skilled in the art and componentssubstantially identical. The components described below can be combinedas appropriate. The explanation will be made in the following order.

1. Embodiments (display device with a touch detecting function)

-   -   1-1. First embodiment    -   1-2. Second embodiment    -   1-3. Third embodiment    -   1-4. Fourth embodiment    -   1-5. Fifth embodiment    -   1-6. Modifications of the above-mentioned embodiments

2. Application examples (electronic apparatuses)

Examples in which the display device with a touch detecting functionaccording to the above-mentioned embodiments is applied to electronicapparatuses

3. Aspects of the present disclosure

1. Embodiments 1-1. First Embodiment 1-1A. Exemplary Configuration

Exemplary Entire Configuration

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary configuration of a displaydevice with a touch detecting function according to a first embodiment.A display device 1 with a touch detecting function includes a displayunit 10 with a touch detecting function, a control unit 11, a gatedriver 12, a source driver 13, a drive electrode driver 14, and a touchdetecting unit 40. In the display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction, the display unit 10 with a touch detecting function has atouch detecting function. The display unit 10 with a touch detectingfunction is a device in which a liquid-crystal display unit 20 providedwith liquid-crystal display elements as display elements is integratedwith a capacitive touch detecting device 30. The display unit 10 with atouch detecting function may be a device in which the capacitive touchdetecting device 30 is mounted on the liquid-crystal display unit 20provided with liquid-crystal display elements as display elements. Theliquid-crystal display unit 20 may be an organic electro-luminescence(EL) display unit, for example.

The liquid-crystal display unit 20 performs sequential scanning on eachhorizontal line based on a scanning signal Vscan supplied from the gatedriver 12, thereby performing display, which will be described later.The control unit 11 is a circuit that supplies control signals to thegate driver 12, the source driver 13, the drive electrode driver 14, andthe touch detecting unit 40 based on a video signal Vdisp supplied fromthe outside, thereby controlling these units so as to operate insynchronization with one another.

The gate driver 12 has a function to sequentially select a horizontalline to be a target of display drive of the display unit 10 with a touchdetecting function based on the control signal supplied from the controlunit 11.

The source driver 13 is a circuit that supplies a pixel signal Vpix toeach sub-pixel SPix, which will be described later, of the display unit10 with a touch detecting function based on the control signal of animage signal Vsig supplied from the control unit 11.

The drive electrode driver 14 is a circuit that supplies a drive signalVcom to drive electrodes COML, which will be described later, of thedisplay unit 10 with a touch detecting function based on the controlsignal supplied from the control unit 11.

The touch detecting unit 40 is a circuit that detects whether a touch (acontact or a proximity state, which will be described later) is made onthe touch detecting device 30 based on the control signal supplied fromthe control unit 11 and a touch detection signal Vdet supplied from thetouch detecting device 30 of the display unit 10 with a touch detectingfunction. If a touch is made, the touch detecting unit 40 derives thecoordinates of the touch in a touch detection area. The touch detectingunit 40 includes a touch detection signal amplifier 42, ananalog/digital (A/D) converter 43, a signal processing unit 44, acoordinate extracting unit 45, and a detection timing control unit 46.

The touch detection signal amplifier 42 amplifies a touch detectionsignal Vdet supplied from the touch detecting device 30. The touchdetection signal amplifier 42 may include an analog low pass filter. Theanalog low pass filter removes high-frequency components (noisecomponents) included in the touch detection signal Vdet, therebyextracting and outputting touch components.

Basic Principle of Capacitive Touch Detection

The touch detecting device 30 operates based on the basic principle ofcapacitive touch detection, thereby outputting the touch detectionsignal Vdet. The following describes the basic principle of touchdetection in the display device 1 with a touch detecting functionaccording to the present embodiment with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 6.FIG. 2 is an explanatory view illustrating a state where no finger is incontact or in proximity with a device for explanation of the basicprinciple of a capacitive touch detection technology. FIG. 3 is a viewfor explaining an example of an equivalent circuit in the state where nofinger is in contact or in proximity with a device illustrated in FIG.2. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating a state where a finger isin contact or in proximity with a device for explanation of the basicprinciple of the capacitive touch detection technology. FIG. 5 is a viewfor explaining an example of the equivalent circuit in the state wherethe finger is in contact or in proximity with a device illustrated inFIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a diagram of an example of a waveform of a drivesignal and a touch detection signal.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, capacitive elements C1 and C1′ eachinclude a pair of electrodes of a drive electrode E1 and a touchdetection electrode E2 arranged in a manner facing each other with adielectric D interposed therebetween, for example. As illustrated inFIG. 3, one end of the capacitive element C1 is coupled to analternating-current (AC) signal source (a drive signal source) S,whereas the other end thereof is coupled to a voltage detector (a touchdetecting unit) DET. The voltage detector DET is an integration circuitincluded in the touch detection signal amplifier 42 illustrated in FIG.1, for example.

If the AC signal source S applies an alternating-current (AC)rectangular wave Sg at a predetermined frequency (e.g., approximatelyseveral kilohertz to several hundred kilohertz) to the drive electrodeE1 (the one end of the capacitive element C1), an output waveform (touchdetection signal Vdet) is generated via the voltage detector DET coupledto the touch detection electrode E2 (the other end of the capacitiveelement C1). The AC rectangular wave Sg corresponds to a touch drivesignal Vcomt, which will be described later.

In the state where no finger is in contact (or in proximity) with adevice (a non-contact state), an electric current I₀ depending on thecapacitance value of the capacitive element C1 flows in association withcharge and discharge to the capacitive element C1 as illustrated in FIG.2 and FIG. 3. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the voltage detector DETconverts fluctuations in the electric current I₀ depending on the ACrectangular wave Sg into fluctuations in the voltage (a waveform V₀indicated by a solid line).

By contrast, in the state where a finger is in contact (or in proximity)with a device (a contact state), capacitance C2 generated by the fingeris in contact or in proximity with the touch detection electrode E2 asillustrated in FIG. 4. This blocks capacitance of a fringe between thedrive electrode E1 and the touch detection electrode E2. As a result,the capacitive element C1′ having a capacitance value smaller than thatof the capacitive element C1 is obtained. In the equivalent circuitillustrated in FIG. 5, an electric current I₁ flows through thecapacitive element C1′. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the voltage detectorDET converts fluctuations in the electric current I₁ depending on the ACrectangular wave Sg into fluctuations in the voltage (a waveform V₁indicated by a dotted line). In this case, the waveform V₁ has amplitudesmaller than that of the waveform V₀. Thus, an absolute value |ΔV| ofthe voltage difference between the waveform V₀ and the waveform V₁varies depending on an influence of an object, such as a finger,approaching the device from the outside. To detect the absolute value|ΔV| of the voltage difference between the waveform V₀ and the waveformV₁ with high accuracy, the voltage detector DET preferably operateswhile providing a period Reset for resetting charge and discharge of acapacitor based on the frequency of the AC rectangular wave Sg byperforming switching in the circuit.

The touch detecting device 30 illustrated in FIG. 1 performs sequentialscanning on each detection block based on the drive signal Vcom (touchdrive signal Vcomt, which will be described later) supplied from thedrive electrode driver 14, thereby performing touch detection.

The touch detecting device 30 outputs the touch detection signal Vdetfor each detection block from a plurality of touch detection electrodesTDL, which will be described later, via the voltage detector DETillustrated in FIG. 3 or FIG. 5, thereby supplying the touch detectionsignal Vdet to the touch detection signal amplifier 42 of the touchdetecting unit 40.

The A/D converter 43 is a circuit that samples an analog signal outputfrom the touch detection signal amplifier 42 at a timing synchronizedwith the drive signal Vcom, thereby converting the analog signal into adigital signal.

The signal processing unit 44 includes a digital filter. The digitalfilter reduces frequency components (noise components) other than thefrequency at which the drive signal Vcom is sampled included in theoutput signal of the A/D converter 43. The signal processing unit 44 isa logic circuit that detects whether a touch is made on the touchdetecting device 30 based on the output signal from the A/D converter43. The signal processing unit 44 performs processing for extractingonly the voltage difference caused by the finger. The voltage differencecaused by the finger corresponds to the absolute value |ΔV| of thedifference between the waveform V₀ and the waveform V₁. The signalprocessing unit 44 may perform an arithmetic operation for averaging theabsolute value |ΔV| per detection block, thereby deriving the averagevalue of the absolute value |ΔV| Thus, the signal processing unit 44 canreduce an influence caused by noise. The signal processing unit 44compares the detected voltage difference caused by the finger with apredetermined threshold voltage. If the voltage difference is equal toor larger than the threshold voltage, the signal processing unit 44determines that an external proximity object approaching the device fromthe outside is in contact with the device. If the voltage difference issmaller than the threshold voltage, the signal processing unit 44determines that the external proximity object is not in contact with thedevice. Thus, the touch detecting unit 40 can perform touch detection.

The coordinate extracting unit 45 is a logic circuit that derives, whena touch is detected by the signal processing unit 44, the touch panelcoordinates of the touch. The detection timing control unit 46 performscontrol such that the A/D converter 43, the signal processing unit 44,and the coordinate extracting unit 45 operate in synchronization withone another. The coordinate extracting unit 45 outputs touch panelcoordinates as a signal output Vout.

Module

FIGS. 7 and 8 are views of examples of a module on which the displaydevice with a touch detecting function is mounted. To mount the displaydevice 1 with a touch detecting function on the module, the driveelectrode driver 14 may be formed above a thin-film transistor (TFT)substrate 21, which is a glass substrate, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction includes the display unit 10 with a touch detecting function,the drive electrode driver 14, and a chip on glass (COG) 19A. FIG. 7schematically illustrates the drive electrodes COML and the touchdetection electrodes TDL in the display unit 10 with a touch detectingfunction viewed in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the TFTsubstrate 21, which will be described later. The touch detectionelectrodes TDL are formed to intersect with the drive electrodes COML ina grade separated manner. In other words, the drive electrodes COML areformed in a direction along one side of the display unit 10 with a touchdetecting function, whereas the touch detection electrodes TDL areformed in a direction along the other side of the display unit 10 with atouch detecting function. The output terminal of the touch detectionelectrodes TDL is provided at an end in the other side direction of thedisplay unit 10 with a touch detecting function. The output terminal iscoupled to the touch detecting device 40 mounted on the outside of themodule via a terminal T formed of a flexible substrate or the like. Thedrive electrode driver 14 is formed on the TFT substrate 21, which is aglass substrate. The COG 19A is a chip mounted on the TFT substrate 21and includes circuits required for a display operation, such as thecontrol unit 11, the gate driver 12, and the source driver 13illustrated in FIG. 1. In the display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction, the drive electrode driver 14 may be included in a COG asillustrated in FIG. 8.

The module, on which the display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction is mounted, includes a COG 19B as illustrated in FIG. 8. TheCOG 19B illustrated in FIG. 8 includes the drive electrode driver 14besides the circuits required for a display operation described above.The display device 1 with a touch detecting function performsline-sequential scanning on each horizontal line in a display operation,which will be described later. By contrast, the display device 1 with atouch detecting function sequentially applies the drive signal Vcom tothe drive electrodes COML in a touch detection operation, therebyperforming line-sequential scanning on each detection line.

Display Unit with a Touch Detecting Function

The following describes an exemplary configuration of the display unit10 with a touch detecting function in greater detail. FIG. 9 is asectional view of a schematic sectional structure of the display unitwith a touch detecting function according to the first embodiment. FIG.10 is a circuit diagram of pixel arrangement of the display unit with atouch detecting function according to the first embodiment. The displayunit 10 with a touch detecting function includes a pixel substrate 2, acounter substrate 3, and a liquid-crystal layer 6. The counter substrate3 is arranged in a manner facing the surface of the pixel substrate 2 ina perpendicular direction. The liquid-crystal layer 6 is insertedbetween the pixel substrate 2 and the counter substrate 3.

The pixel substrate 2 includes the TFT substrate 21, a plurality ofpixel electrodes 22, a plurality of drive electrodes COML, and aninsulation layer 24. The TFT substrate 21 serves as a circuit board. Thepixel electrodes 22 are arranged in a matrix above the TFT substrate 21.The drive electrodes COML are formed between the TFT substrate 21 andthe pixel electrodes 22. The insulation layer 24 electrically insulatesthe pixel electrodes 22 from the drive electrodes COML. The TFTsubstrate 21 is provided with a thin-film transistor (TFT) element Tr ofeach sub-pixel SPix illustrated in FIG. 10 and wiring, such as a signalline SGL and a scanning line GCL. The signal line SGL supplies the pixelsignal Vpix to each pixel electrode 22 illustrated in FIG. 9, whereasthe scanning line GCL drives each TFT element Tr. Thus, the signal lineSGL extends on a plane parallel to the surface of the TFT substrate 21and supplies the pixel signal Vpix used to display an image to a pixel.The liquid-crystal display unit 20 illustrated in FIG. 10 includes aplurality of sub-pixels SPix arranged in a matrix. The sub-pixels Spixeach include the TFT element Tr and a liquid-crystal element LC. The TFTelement Tr is formed of a thin-film transistor, and specifically of ann-channel metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) TFT in this example. One ofthe source and the drain of the TFT element Tr is coupled to the signalline SGL, the gate thereof is coupled to the scanning line GCL, and theother of the source and the drain thereof is coupled to one end of theliquid-crystal element LC. One end of the liquid-crystal element LC iscoupled to the drain of the TFT element Tr, whereas the other endthereof is coupled to the drive electrode COML, for example.

The sub-pixel SPix illustrated in FIG. 10 is coupled to other sub-pixelsSPix belonging to the same row in the liquid-crystal display unit 20 bythe scanning line GCL. The scanning line GCL is coupled to the gatedriver 12 and is supplied with the scanning signal Vscan from the gatedriver 12. The sub-pixel SPix is further coupled to other sub-pixelsSPix belonging to the same column in the liquid-crystal display unit 20by the signal line SGL. The signal line SGL is coupled to the sourcedriver 13 and is supplied with the pixel signal Vpix from the sourcedriver 13. The sub-pixel SPix is further coupled to the other sub-pixelsSPix belonging to the same row in the liquid-crystal display unit 20 bythe drive electrode COML. The drive electrode COML is coupled to thedrive electrode driver 14 and is supplied with the drive signal Vcomfrom the drive electrode driver 14. In other words, a plurality ofsub-pixels SPix belonging to the same row share a single drive electrodeCOML in this example. The direction in which the drive electrode COMLextends according to the first embodiment is parallel to the directionin which the scanning line GCL extends. The direction in which the driveelectrode COML extends according to the first embodiment is not limitedthereto. The direction in which the drive electrode COML extends may bea direction parallel to the direction in which the signal line SGLextends, for example.

The gate driver 12 illustrated in FIG. 1 applies the scanning signalVscan to the gate of the TFT element Tr of a pixel Pix via the scanningline GCL illustrated in FIG. 10. Thus, the gate driver 12 sequentiallyselects a row (a horizontal line) out of the sub-pixels SPix arranged ina matrix in the liquid-crystal display unit 20 as a target of displaydrive. The source driver 13 illustrated in FIG. 1 supplies the pixelsignal Vpix to each of the sub-pixels SPix constituting the horizontalline sequentially selected by the gate driver 12 via the signal line SGLillustrated in FIG. 10. These sub-pixels SPix perform display of thehorizontal line based on the supplied pixel signal Vpix. The driveelectrode driver 14 illustrated in FIG. 1 applies the drive signal Vcom,thereby driving the drive electrodes COML of each block composed of apredetermined number of drive electrodes COML illustrated in FIG. 7 andFIG. 8.

As described above, the gate driver 12 drives so as to performtime-division line-sequential scanning on the scanning line GCL, wherebythe liquid-crystal display unit 20 sequentially selects a horizontalline. The source driver 13 supplies the pixel signal Vpix to thesub-pixels SPix belonging to the horizontal line, whereby theliquid-crystal display unit 20 performs display of the horizontal line.To perform the display operation, the drive electrode driver 14 appliesthe drive signal Vcom to a block including the drive electrodes COMLcorresponding to the horizontal line.

The drive electrode COML according to the present embodiment functionsas a drive electrode of the liquid-crystal display unit 20 and as adrive electrode of the touch detecting device 30. FIG. 11 is aperspective view of an exemplary configuration of the drive electrodesand the touch detection electrodes of the display device with a touchdetecting function according to the present embodiment. The driveelectrodes COML illustrated in FIG. 11 face the pixel electrodes 22 inthe direction perpendicular to the surface of the TFT substrate 21 asillustrated in FIG. 9. The touch detecting device 30 includes the driveelectrodes COML provided to the pixel substrate 2 and the touchdetection electrodes TDL provided to the counter substrate 3. The touchdetection electrodes TDL are formed into stripe-like electrode patternsextending in a direction intersecting with the extending direction ofthe electrode patterns of the drive electrodes COML. The touch detectionelectrodes TDL face the drive electrodes COML in the directionperpendicular to the surface of the TFT substrate 21. The electrodepatterns of the touch detection electrodes TDL are coupled to the inputterminal of the touch detection signal amplifier 42 of the touchdetecting unit 40. The electrode patterns of the drive electrodes COMLand the touch detection electrodes TDL intersecting with each othergenerate capacitance at the intersections.

With this configuration, the touch detecting device 30 performs a touchdetection operation by driving the drive electrode driver 14 so as toperform time-division line-sequential scanning on drive electrodeblocks. As a result, the touch detecting device 30 sequentially selectsa detection block of the drive electrodes COML in a scanning directionScan. The touch detecting device 30 then outputs the touch detectionsignal Vdet from the touch detection electrodes TDL. Thus, the touchdetecting device 30 performs touch detection in the detection block. Inother words, the drive electrode block corresponds to the driveelectrode E1 in the basic principle of touch detection described above,whereas the touch detection electrode TDL corresponds to the touchdetection electrode E2. The touch detecting device 30 detects a touch inaccordance with the basic principle. As illustrated in FIG. 11, theelectrode patterns intersecting with each other form a capacitive touchsensor in a matrix. Scanning the entire touch detection surface of thetouch detecting device 30 enables detection of the position where theexternal proximity object is in contact or in proximity with the device.

The liquid-crystal layer 6 modulates light passing therethroughdepending on the state of an electric field. The liquid-crystal layer 6is provided with liquid crystals of a lateral electric-field mode, suchas a fringe field switching (FFS) mode and an in-plane switching (IPS)mode. An orientation film may be provided between the liquid-crystallayer 6 and the pixel substrate 2 and between the liquid-crystal layer 6and the counter substrate 3 illustrated in FIG. 9.

The counter substrate 3 includes a glass substrate 31 and a color filter32 formed at one surface of the glass substrate 31. The touch detectionelectrode TDL serving as the detection electrode of the touch detectingdevice 30 is formed at the other surface of the glass substrate 31. Apolarization plate 35 is provided above the touch detection electrodeTDL.

In the color filter 32 illustrated in FIG. 9, color areas of the colorfilter colored with three colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) areperiodically arranged, for example. Color areas 32R, 32G, and 32B (referto FIG. 10) colored with the three colors of R, G, and B, respectively,are associated with the sub-pixels SPix illustrated in FIG. 10. Thecolor areas 32R, 32G, and 32B serve as a group to form the pixel Pix.The pixels Pix are arranged in a matrix along a direction parallel tothe scanning line GCL and a direction parallel to the signal line SGL,thereby forming a display area Ad, which will be described later. Thecolor filter 32 faces the liquid-crystal layer 6 in the directionperpendicular to the TFT substrate 21. Thus, the sub-pixel SPix candisplay a single color. The color filter 32 may have another colorcombination as long as the color areas are colored with colors differentfrom one another. The color filter 32 is not necessarily provided. Theremay be an area in which the color filter 32 is not present, that is, atranslucent sub-pixel SPix.

The glass substrate 31 corresponds to a specific example of a“substrate” in the present disclosure. The color areas 32R, 32G, and 32Bcorrespond to a specific example of a “color area” in the presentdisclosure. The pixel Pix corresponds to a specific example of a “pixel”in the present disclosure. The display area Ad corresponds to a specificexample of a “display area” in the present disclosure. The touchdetection electrode TDL corresponds to a specific example of a “touchdetection electrode” in the present disclosure. A conductive thin wireML corresponds to a specific example of a “first conductive thin wire”in the present disclosure. A dummy electrode TDD corresponds to aspecific example of a “dummy electrode” in the present disclosure. Aconductive thin wire DL corresponds to a specific example of a “secondconductive thin wire” in the present disclosure. The drive electrodeCOML corresponds to a specific example of a “drive electrode” in thepresent disclosure. The liquid-crystal layer 6 corresponds to a specificexample of a “display functional layer” in the present disclosure.

1-1B. Operation and Action

The following describes an operation and action of the display device 1with a touch detecting function according to the first embodiment.

The drive electrode COML functions as a common drive electrode of theliquid-crystal display unit 20 and as a drive electrode of the touchdetecting device 30. As a result, the drive signal Vcom may possiblyaffect both the liquid-crystal display unit 20 and the touch detectingdevice 30. To address this, the drive signal Vcom is applied to thedrive electrode COML separately in a display period B to perform adisplay operation and in a touch detection period A to perform a touchdetection operation. The drive electrode driver 14 applies the drivesignal Vcom as a display drive signal in the display period B to performa display operation. The drive electrode driver 14 applies the drivesignal Vcom as a touch drive signal in the touch detection period A toperform a touch detection operation. In the description below, the drivesignal Vcom serving as the display drive signal is referred to as adisplay drive signal Vcomd, whereas the drive signal Vcom serving as thetouch drive signal is referred to as a touch drive signal Vcomt.

Outline of the Entire Operation

Based on the video signal Vdisp supplied from the outside, the controlunit 11 supplies control signals to the gate driver 12, the sourcedriver 13, the drive electrode driver 14, and the touch detecting unit40, thereby controlling these units so as to operate in synchronizationwith one another. The gate driver 12 supplies the scanning signal Vscanto the liquid-crystal display unit 20 in the display period B, therebysequentially selecting a horizontal line to be a target of displaydrive. The source driver 13 supplies the pixel signal Vpix to each pixelPix constituting the horizontal line selected by the gate driver 12 inthe display period B.

In the display period B, the drive electrode driver 14 applies thedisplay drive signal Vcomd to a drive electrode block relating to thehorizontal line. In the touch detection period A, the drive electrodedriver 14 sequentially applies the touch drive signal Vcomt to a driveelectrode block relating to the touch detection operation, therebysequentially selecting one detection block. The display unit 10 with atouch detecting function performs a display operation based on thesignals supplied from the gate driver 12, the source driver 13, and thedrive electrode driver 14 in the display period B. The display unit 10with a touch detecting function performs a touch detection operationbased on the signal supplied from the drive electrode driver 14 andoutputs the touch detection signal Vdet from the touch detectionelectrode TDL in the touch detection period A. The touch detectionsignal amplifier 42 amplifies and outputs the touch detection signalVdet. The A/D converter 43 converts the analog signal output from thetouch detection signal amplifier 42 into a digital signal at a timingsynchronized with the touch drive signal Vcomt. The signal processingunit 44 detects whether a touch is made on the touch detecting device 30based on the output signal from the A/D converter 43. The coordinateextracting unit 45 derives, when a touch is detected by the signalprocessing unit 44, the touch panel coordinates of the touch. Thecontrol unit 11 controls the detection timing control unit 46 to changethe sampling frequency of the touch drive signal Vcomt.

Specific Operation

The following describes a specific operation of the display device 1with a touch detecting function. FIG. 12 is a timing waveform chart ofan exemplary operation of the display device with a touch detectingfunction according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 12,the liquid-crystal display unit 20 performs sequential scanning on eachhorizontal line of successive scanning lines GCL of the (n−1)-th row,the n-th row, and the (n+1)-th row among the scanning lines GCL based onthe scanning signal Vscan supplied from the gate driver 12, therebyperforming display. Similarly, the drive electrode driver 14 suppliesthe drive signal Vcom to successive drive electrodes COML of the(m−1)-th column, the m-th column, and the (m+1)-th column among thedrive electrodes COML of the display unit 10 with a touch detectingfunction based on the control signal supplied from the control unit 11.

As described above, the display device 1 with a touch detecting functionperforms the touch detection operation (touch detection period A) andthe display operation (display period B) in a time-division manner ineach display horizontal period (1H). In the touch detection operation,the display device 1 with a touch detecting function selects a differentdrive electrode COML and applies the drive signal Vcom thereto in eachdisplay horizontal period 1H, thereby performing scanning for touchdetection. The following describes the operation in greater detail.

The gate driver 12 applies the scanning signal Vscan to the scanningline GCL of the (n−1)-th row, thereby changing a scanning signalVscan(n−1) from a low level to a high level. This starts a displayhorizontal period 1H.

In the touch detection period A, the drive electrode driver 14 appliesthe touch drive signal Vcomt to the drive electrode COML of the (m−1)-thcolumn, thereby changing a drive signal Vcom(m−1) from a low level to ahigh level. The drive signal Vcom(m−1) is transmitted to the touchdetection electrode TDL via capacitance, thereby changing the touchdetection signal Vdet. When the drive signal Vcom(m−1) changes from thehigh level to the low level, the touch detection signal Vdet changes inthe same manner. The waveform of the touch detection signal Vdet in thetouch detection period A corresponds to the touch detection signal Vdetin the basic principle of touch detection described above. The A/Dconverter 43 carries out A/D conversion on the touch detection signalVdet in the touch detection period A, thereby performing touchdetection. Thus, the display device 1 with a touch detecting functionperforms touch detection of one detection line.

In the display period B, the source driver 13 applies the pixel signalVpix to the signal line SGL, thereby performing display of a horizontalline. The drive electrode driver 14 applies the display drive signalVcomd to the drive electrode COML as a common potential. At this time,the potential of the display drive signal Vcomd is the same as that ofthe low level of the touch drive signal Vcomt in the touch detectionperiod A, for example. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the change in thepixel signal Vpix is transmitted to the touch detection electrode TDLvia parasitic capacitance, thereby changing the touch detection signalVdet. In the display period B, however, the A/D converter 43 carries outno A/D conversion, which makes it possible to suppress an influence ofthe change in the pixel signal Vpix on touch detection. After the sourcedriver 13 completes supplying the pixel signal Vpix, the gate driver 12changes the scanning signal Vscan(n−1) of the scanning line GCL of the(n−1)-th row from the high level to the low level. Thus, the displayhorizontal period 1H is terminated.

Subsequently, the gate driver 12 applies the scanning signal Vscan tothe scanning line GCL of the n-th row, which is different from theprevious scanning line GCL, thereby changing a scanning signal Vscan(n)from a low level to a high level. This starts a next display horizontalperiod 1H.

In the subsequent touch detection period A, the drive electrode driver14 applies the drive signal Vcom to the drive electrode COML of the m-thcolumn, which is different from the previous drive electrode COML. TheA/D converter 43 carries out A/D conversion on the change in the touchdetection signal Vdet, thereby performing touch detection of thedetection line.

In the display period B, the source driver 13 applies the pixel signalVpix to the signal line SGL, thereby performing display of anotherhorizontal line. The display device 1 with a touch detecting functionaccording to the present embodiment performs dot inversion drive. As aresult, the polarity of the pixel signal Vpix applied by the sourcedriver 13 is inverted from that in the previous display horizontalperiod 1H. After the display period B is terminated, the current displayhorizontal period 1H is terminated.

By repeating the operation described above, the display device 1 with atouch detecting function performs a display operation by scanning theentire display surface and performs a touch detection operation byscanning the entire touch detection surface.

The display device 1 with a touch detecting function performs the touchdetection operation in the touch detection period A and performs thedisplay operation in the display period B in a display horizontal period(1H). Because the touch detection operation and the display operationare performed separately in the respective periods, the display device 1with a touch detecting function can perform both the display operationand the touch detection operation in a single display horizontal period1H. In addition, it is possible to suppress an influence of the displayoperation on the touch detection.

Arrangement of the Touch Detection Electrode

FIG. 13 is a schematic of arrangement of the touch detection electrodeand the dummy electrode according to the first embodiment. Asillustrated in FIG. 13, the touch detection electrode TDL according tothe first embodiment includes a plurality of conductive thin wires MLextending in a pixel array direction Dy (a first direction) on a planeparallel to the counter substrate 3. The conductive thin wires ML arecoupled to one another at respective ends MLe via a first conductivepart TDB1 and belong to an area TDA. In the area TDA, the conductivethin wires ML establish electrical continuity with one another andextend with a constant gap interposed therebetween. A plurality of areasTDA extend with a constant gap interposed therebetween. In the areasTDA, the respective first conductive parts TDB1 are coupled to eachother via a second conductive part TDB2, thereby establishing electricalcontinuity therebetween. The second conductive part TDB2 is coupled tothe touch detecting unit 40 illustrated in FIG. 1 via detection wiringTDG. The first conductive part TDB1 and the second conductive part TDB2are made of the same material as that of the conductive thin wire ML.This configuration can make the conductive thin wire ML hard torecognize. In addition, touch detection of a certain area is performedwith the conductive thin wires ML. This can reduce the resistancegenerated in the touch detection.

The conductive thin wire ML includes a thin wire piece Ua and a thinwire piece Ub. The thin wire piece Ua is a pattern made of a conductivematerial extending at an angle with respect to the pixel array directionDy. The thin wire piece Ua includes a first end Ua1 and a second endUa2. Similarly, the thin wire piece Ub is a pattern made of a conductivematerial extending in a direction different from the direction in whichthe thin wire piece Ua extends. The thin wire piece Ub includes a firstend Ub1 and a second end Ub2. The thin wire piece Ua and the thin wirepiece Ub are connected to each other at the second end Ua2 of the thinwire piece Ua and the first end Ub1 of the thin wire piece Ub, therebyestablishing electrical continuity therebetween.

The connecting portion between the second end Ua2 of the thin wire pieceUa and the first end Ub1 of the thin wire piece Ub serves as a bentportion TDC of the conductive thin wire ML. The thin wire piece Ua andthe thin wire piece Ub are bent at a predetermined angle at each bentportion TDC. In the conductive thin wire ML according to the firstembodiment, the length of the thin wire piece Ua is equal to that of thethin wire piece Ub, for example. The magnitude of the angle of thedirection in which the thin wire piece Ua extends with respect to thepixel array direction Dy is equal to the magnitude of the angle of thedirection in which the thin wire piece Ub extends with respect to thepixel array direction Dy. The conductive thin wire ML according to thefirst embodiment changes the direction inclined in a pixel orthogonaldirection Dx (a second direction) at each bent portion TDC. The width ofthe thin wire piece Ua and the thin wire piece Ub preferably fallswithin a range of 1 μm to 10 μm depending on the pixel size.Alternatively, the width of the thin wire piece Ua and the thin wirepiece Ub may be one-fortieth of the short side of the pixel Pix toone-tenth of the short side of the pixel Pix. If the width of the thinwire piece Ua and the thin wire piece Ub is larger than 10 μm, the thinwire piece Ua and the thin wire piece Ub are likely to be visuallyrecognized by a person. If the width of the thin wire piece Ua and thethin wire piece Ub is smaller than 1 μm, the resistance may possibly beincreased, or the pattern of the thin wire piece Ua and the thin wirepiece Ub may possibly be broken in a manufacturing process.

The conductive thin wire ML of the touch detection electrode TDL is madeof a conductive metal material, specifically, a metal material ofaluminum (Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr),and tungsten (W), and alloys of these. Alternatively, the conductivethin wire ML of the touch detection electrode TDL is made of aluminum(Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), andtungsten (W), and oxides (a metal oxide) of these and has conductivity.The conductive thin wire ML may be obtained by patterning a laminatedbody in which at least one of the metal material and the metal oxidedescribed above is laminated. Alternatively, the conductive thin wire MLmay be obtained by patterning a laminated body in which at least one ofthe metal material, the metal oxide described above and a translucentconductive oxide, such as an indium tin oxide (ITO), serving as amaterial of a translucent electrode is laminated. The conductive thinwire ML has resistance lower than that of a translucent conductiveoxide, such as an ITO, serving as a material of a translucent electrode.The material of the conductive thin wire ML has transmittance lower thanthat of an ITO in the same film thickness. The material of theconductive thin wire ML may have transmittance of equal to or lower than10%, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, the areas TDA are arranged with the constantgap interposed therebetween. An area in which the conductive thin wireML is arranged in the touch detection electrode TDL is different in thelight-shielding property from an area in which no conductive thin wireML is arranged in the touch detection electrode TDL. This may possiblymake the touch detection electrode TDL easy to visually recognize. Toaddress this, the dummy electrode TDD not connected to the detectionwiring TDG is arranged between the areas TDA adjacent to each other onthe counter substrate 3. The dummy electrode TDD is formed of aplurality of conductive thin wires DL made of the same material as thatof the conductive thin wire ML of the touch detection electrode TDL. Theconductive thin wire DL of the dummy electrode TDD may be made of adifferent material as long as the dummy electrode TDD has substantiallythe same light-shielding property as that of the touch detectionelectrode TDL. The material of the conductive thin wire DL hastransmittance lower than that of an ITO in the same film thickness. Thematerial of the conductive thin wire DL may have transmittance of equalto or lower than 10%, for example. The dummy electrode TDD is notconnected to the detection wiring TDG.

The conductive thin wire DL illustrated in FIG. 13 includes a thin wirepiece Uc and a thin wire piece Ud. The thin wire piece Uc is a patternmade of a conductive material extending at an angle with respect to thepixel array direction Dy. The thin wire piece Uc includes a first endUc1 and a second end Uc2. Similarly, the thin wire piece Ud is a patternmade of a conductive material extending in a direction different fromthe direction in which the thin wire piece Uc extends. The thin wirepiece Ud includes a first end Ud1 and a second end Ud2. The thin wirepiece Uc has substantially the same size as that of the thin wire pieceUa and is arranged parallel to the direction in which the thin wirepiece Ua extends. The thin wire piece Ud has substantially the same sizeas that of the thin wire piece Ub and is arranged parallel to thedirection in which the thin wire piece Ub extends. This configurationreduces the difference in the light-shielding property between the areain which the touch detection electrode TDL is arranged and the area inwhich no touch detection electrode TDL is arranged. This can reduce thepossibility that the touch detection electrode TDL is visuallyrecognized. The connecting portion between the first end Uc1 of the thinwire piece Uc and the second end Ud2 of the thin wire piece Ud serves asa bent portion TDDG. The thin wire piece Uc and the thin wire piece Udare bent at a predetermined angle at each bent portion TDDG. The widthof the thin wire piece Uc and the thin wire piece Ud preferably fallswithin a range of 1 μm to 10 μm depending on the pixel size.Alternatively, the width of the thin wire piece Uc and the thin wirepiece Ud may be one-fortieth of the short side of the pixel Pix toone-tenth of the short side of the pixel Pix. If the width of the thinwire piece Uc and the thin wire piece Ud is larger than 10 μm, the thinwire piece Uc and the thin wire piece Ud are likely to be visuallyrecognized by a person. If the width of the thin wire piece Uc and thethin wire piece Ud is smaller than 1 μm, the resistance of the thin wirepiece Ua and the thin wire piece Ub having substantially the same sizemay possibly be increased, or the pattern of the thin wire piece Uc andthe thin wire piece Ud may possibly be broken in a manufacturingprocess.

The conductive thin wire DL of the dummy electrode TDD has a slit Stserving as a dividing portion in which the same material as that of theconductive thin wire ML is not provided between the thin wire piece Ucand the thin wire piece Ud. The slit St prevents electrical continuitybetween the thin wire piece Uc and the thin wire piece Ud, therebygenerating capacity difference between the dummy electrode and the touchdetection electrode. If a finger is in proximity with both the touchdetection electrode TDL and the dummy electrode TDD in touch detection,this configuration can reduce an influence caused by the dummy electrodeTDD on the absolute value |ΔV| illustrated in FIG. 6. In the dummyelectrode TDD, the slit St prevents electrical continuity between thethin wire piece Uc and the thin wire piece Ud and separates the thinwire piece Uc and the thin wire piece Ud. This can reduce an influenceon touch detection accuracy.

FIG. 14 is a schematic of arrangement of the touch detection electrodeand the dummy electrode according to a modification of the firstembodiment. The thin wire piece Uc is a pattern made of a conductivematerial extending at an angle with respect to the pixel array directionDy. The thin wire piece Ud is a pattern made of a conductive materialextending in a direction different from the direction in which the thinwire piece Uc extends. The thin wire piece Uc has substantially the samesize as that of the thin wire piece Ua and is arranged parallel to thedirection in which the thin wire piece Ua extends. The thin wire pieceUd has substantially the same size as that of the thin wire piece Ub andis arranged parallel to the direction in which the thin wire piece Ubextends. A slit St illustrated in FIG. 14 is also provided at theposition of the bent portion TDDG illustrated in FIG. 13. The slit Stillustrated in FIG. 14 is provided between the thin wire piece Uc andthe thin wire piece Ud. The thin wire piece Uc and the thin wire pieceUd are bent at a predetermined angle at each slit St.

The following describes the pixel array direction Dy and the pixelorthogonal direction Dx illustrated in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 withreference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a view for explaining the positionalrelation between the slits of the dummy electrode and the color areas ofthe display area according to the first embodiment. As described above,the display area Ad includes a plurality of pixels Pix each formed of agroup of the color areas 32R, 32G, and 32B associated with therespective sub-pixels SPix. The pixels Pix are arranged in a matrixalong a direction parallel to the scanning line GCL and a directionparallel to the signal line SGL. The pixels Pix are arranged such thatthe color areas 32R, 32G, and 32B and the color areas 32R, 32G, and 32Badjacent thereto, respectively, are arranged side by side with thescanning line GCL interposed therebetween.

The pixel array direction Dy is a direction in which the color areashaving the highest human visibility are aligned. The pixel orthogonaldirection Dx is a direction orthogonal to the pixel array direction Dyon a plane parallel to the surface of the counter substrate 3. G (green)has the highest human visibility of the three colors of R (red), G(green), and B (blue). Because the color areas 32G are aligned in adirection parallel to the signal line SGL in FIG. 15, the pixel arraydirection Dy according to the first embodiment corresponds to thedirection parallel to the signal line SGL. In a modification where W(white) is added and four colors of R (red), G (green), B (blue), and W(white) are used, W (white) has the highest human visibility.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the conductive thin wire DL of the dummyelectrode TDD according to the first embodiment includes a plurality ofthin wire pieces extending in directions different from the pixel arraydirection Dy. The conductive thin wires DL are divided by slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, St33, St41, St42, St43, St51,St52, St53, St61, St62, and St63 so as to have the area smaller thanthat of the conductive thin wire ML. The slits St11, St12, and St13overlap with the color area 32R. The slits St21, St22, and St23 closestto the slits St11, St12, and St13 in the pixel orthogonal direction Dxoverlap with the color area 32G. The color of the color area with whichthe slits St11, St12, and St13 overlap is different from that of thecolor area with which the slits St21, St22, and St23 overlap. The slitsSt31, St32, and St33 closest to the slits St21, St22, and St23 in thepixel orthogonal direction Dx overlap with the color area 32B. The colorof the color area with which the slits St21, St22, and St23 overlap isdifferent from that of the color area with which the slits St31, St32,and St33 overlap. The relation of the color areas with which the slitsSt41, St42, St43, St51, St52, St53, St61, St62, and St63 overlap is thesame as that of the color areas with which the slits St11, St12, St13,St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, and St33 overlap.

A gap Sw between the slits St illustrated in FIG. 15 is smaller than alength WPix of the sub-pixel SPix in the pixel array direction Dy. Thisconfiguration reduces the possibility that the slit St overlaps across aplurality of sub-pixels SPix.

FIG. 16 is a view for explaining the positional relation between slitsof the dummy electrode and the color areas of the display area accordingto a comparative example. As illustrated in FIG. 16, the conductive thinwire DL of the dummy electrode TDD according to the comparative exampleincludes a plurality of thin wire pieces extending in directionsdifferent from the pixel array direction Dy. The conductive thin wiresDL are divided by slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32,St33, St41, St42, and St43 so as to have the area smaller than that ofthe conductive thin wire ML. The slits St11, St12, and St13 overlap withthe color area 32R. The slits St21, St22, and St23 closest to the slitsSt11, St12, and St13 in the pixel orthogonal direction Dx overlap withthe color area 32R. The color of the color area with which the slitsSt11, St12, and St13 overlap is the same as that of the color area withwhich the slits St21, St22, and St23 overlap. The slits St31, St32, andSt33 closest to the slits St21, St22, and St23 in the pixel orthogonaldirection Dx overlap with the color area 32R. The color of the colorarea with which the slits St21, St22, and St23 overlap is the same asthat of the color area with which the slits St31, St32, and St33overlap. The slits St41, St42, and St43 closest to the slits St31, St32,and St33 in the pixel orthogonal direction Dx overlap with the colorarea 32R. The color of the color area with which the slits St31, St32,and St33 overlap is the same as that of the color area with which theslits St41, St42, and St43 overlap.

1-1C. Advantages

As described above, the pixels Pix are arranged in a matrix along adirection parallel to the scanning line GCL and a direction parallel tothe signal line SGL. If the scanning line GCL and the signal line SGLare covered with a black matrix, the black matrix suppressestransmission of light. If the scanning line GCL and the signal line SGLare not covered with the black matrix, the scanning line GCL and thesignal line SGL suppress transmission of light. In the first embodiment,a periodic pattern of a plurality of lines parallel to the pixelorthogonal direction Dx extending along a direction parallel to thescanning line GCL is likely to appear on the display area Ad. A periodicpattern of a plurality of lines parallel to the pixel array direction Dyextending along a direction parallel to the signal line SGL is alsolikely to appear on the display area Ad. If the touch detectionelectrode TDL is laminated in a direction perpendicular to the surfaceof the display area Ad, the pattern of the color filter layer and thescanning line or the signal line on the display area interferes with thepattern of the touch detection electrode TDL. This may possibly form alight and dark pattern, thereby causing moire or streaks to be visuallyrecognized.

In the display device 1 with a touch detecting function according to thefirst embodiment, the conductive thin wire ML includes the thin wirepiece satisfying a first condition. The first condition is that thewidth of the thin wire piece falls within a range of 1 μm to 10 μm, orthe width of the thin wire piece is one-fortieth of the short side ofthe pixel Pix to one-tenth of the short side of the pixel Pix, asdescribed above. This can make the period of the light and dark patternshort enough not to be visually recognized by a person. The thin wirepieces Ua, Ub, Uc, and Ud according to the first embodiment, forexample, extend at the angles with respect to the pixel orthogonaldirection Dx and the pixel array direction Dy. If the thin wire piecesUa, Ub, Uc, and Ud satisfy the first condition, the angles are madelarger than a certain angle. This is likely to shorten the period of thelight and dark pattern. As a result, the display device 1 with a touchdetecting function according to the first embodiment can reduce thepossibility that moire caused by the conductive thin wire ML and theconductive thin wire DL is visually recognized.

If the color areas with which the slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22,St23, St31, St32, St33, St41, St42, and St43 overlap are limited to thespecific color area 32R as illustrated in FIG. 16, a larger amount oflight tends to be output from the specific color area 32R than theamount of light output from the other color areas 32G and 32B in thedisplay area Ad provided with the dummy electrode TDD. The display areaAd provided with the touch detection electrode TDL has a smaller amountof light output from the specific color area 32R than the display areaAd provided with the dummy electrode TDD does. The light passing throughthe slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, St33, St41,St42, and St43 may possibly change the tone of the display area Adprovided with the dummy electrode TDD. As a result, the slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, St33, St41, St42, and St43 aremade conspicuous to be recognized as lines (streaks), for example. Thismay possibly cause the dummy electrode TDD to be visually recognized.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the color areas with which the slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, and St33 overlap are notlimited to the specific color area 32R. The color areas with which theslits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, and St33 overlapare the color area 32R, the color area 32G, and the color area 32B. As aresult, nearly the same amount of light is output from the color area32R as the amount of light output from the other color areas 32G and 32Bthrough any of the slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32,and St33 in the display area Ad provided with the dummy electrode TDD.This reduces the possibility that the light passing through the slitsSt11, St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, and St33 changes thetone of the display area Ad provided with the dummy electrode TDD. As aresult, the display device 1 with a touch detecting function accordingto the first embodiment can make the slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22,St23, St31, St32, and St33 inconspicuous. This can reduce thepossibility that the slits of the dummy electrode TDD are visuallyrecognized.

In the display device 1 with a touch detecting function according to thefirst embodiment, the slits St31, St32, and St33 closest to the slitsSt21, St22, and St23 in the pixel orthogonal direction Dx may overlapwith the color area 32R. This is because the color of the color areawith which the slits St21, St22, and St23 overlap can be set to a colordifferent from that of the color area with which the slits St31, St32,and St33 overlap.

If the touch detection electrode TDL and the drive electrode COML areformed in a single layer and made of a metal material unlike the displaydevice 1 with a touch detecting function according to the firstembodiment, electric corrosion may possibly occur. In the display device1 with a touch detecting function according to the first embodiment, thetouch detection electrode TDL and the drive electrode COML arepositioned on the respective different planes with the glass substrate31 interposed therebetween in a direction perpendicular to the surfaceof the glass substrate 31. This enables the display device 1 with atouch detecting function according to the first embodiment to suppresselectric corrosion. The drive electrode COML is preferably made of atranslucent material. This can reduce the possibility that moire causedby interference between the touch detection electrode TDL and the driveelectrode COML is visually recognized.

The drive electrode COML is arranged on the TFT substrate 21 facing thesurface of the glass substrate 31 in the perpendicular direction. If thesurface of the glass substrate 31 is away from the drive electrode COMLin the direction perpendicular to the surface of the glass substrate 31,difference between the period of the pattern appearing on the displayarea Ad and the period of arrangement of the drive electrode COML variesdepending on the angle at which a person views the device. Arrangementof the drive electrode COML on the TFT substrate 21 can reduce thechange in the difference between the period of the pattern appearing onthe display area Ad and the period of arrangement of the drive electrodeCOML depending on the angle at which a person views the device. Thedrive electrode COML according to the first embodiment is arranged in amanner extending in the pixel array direction Dy or the pixel orthogonaldirection Dx. As a result, the drive electrode COML extends in adirection parallel to the scanning line GCL or a direction parallel tothe signal line SGL. This can reduce the possibility that the apertureratio decreases.

1-2. Second Embodiment

The following describes a display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction according to a second embodiment. FIG. 17 is a schematic ofarrangement of a touch detection electrode and a dummy electrodeaccording to the second embodiment. Components similar to those of thefirst embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and anexplanation thereof will be omitted.

A dummy electrode TDD includes a plurality of conductive thin wires DLarranged at intervals of an arrangement pitch PP. Conductive thin wiresML and the conductive thin wires DL are arranged in a manner extendingin an extending direction Dr (a first direction) inclined at apredetermined angle with respect to the pixel array direction Dy. SlitsSt11, St13, St22, St31, and St33 overlap with the color area 32R. SlitsSt21, St23, and St32 overlap with the color area 32G. A slit St12overlaps with the color area 32B.

The slits St closest to one another in the pixel orthogonal directionDx, that is, the slits St12, St22, and St32 belonging to an area DS, forexample, overlap with respective color areas of different colors. Thecolor areas with which the slits St12, St22, and St32 overlap can beselected by adjusting inclination of a direction Ds (a second direction)in which the slits St12, St22, and St32 belonging to the area DS arearranged with respect to the pixel orthogonal direction Dx, and byadjusting the arrangement pitch PP. The slits St closest to one anotherin the pixel array direction Dy or the direction Ds, that is, the slitsSt11, St12, and St13 belonging to an area DR, for example, overlap withthe color area 32R and the color area 32B alternately. The color of thecolor area 32R is different from that of the color area 32B as describedabove. The color areas with which the slits St11, St12, and St13 overlapcan be selected by adjusting inclination of a direction Dr in which theslits St11, St12, and St13 belonging to the area DR are arranged withrespect to the pixel array direction Dy, and by adjusting thearrangement pitch PP.

In the display device 1 with a touch detecting function according to thesecond embodiment, the color of the color area 32R in the display areaAd with which the slit St11 overlaps is different from that of the colorarea 32B in the display area Ad with which the slit St12, arrangedclosest to the slit St11 in the pixel array direction Dy or thedirection Ds, overlaps. Thus, the color areas with which the slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, and St33 overlap are notlimited to the color area 32R. The color areas with which the slitsSt11, St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, and St33 overlap are thecolor area 32R, the color area 32G, and the color area 32B. As a result,nearly the same amount of light is output from the color area 32R as theamount of light output from the other color areas 32G and 32B throughany of the slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, andSt33 in the display area Ad provided with the dummy electrode TDD. Thisreduces the possibility that the light passing through the slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, and St33 changes the tone ofthe display area Ad provided with the dummy electrode TDD. As a result,the display device 1 with a touch detecting function according to thesecond embodiment can make the slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22, St23,St31, St32, and St33 inconspicuous. This can reduce the possibility thatthe slits of the dummy electrode TDD are visually recognized.

1-3. Third Embodiment

The following describes a display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction according to a third embodiment. FIG. 18 is a schematic ofarrangement of a touch detection electrode and a dummy electrodeaccording to the third embodiment. Components similar to those of thefirst and the second embodiments are denoted by the same referencenumerals, and an explanation thereof will be omitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, a touch detection electrode TDL according tothe third embodiment includes a plurality of conductive thin wires MLarranged in a manner extending in the pixel array direction Dy atintervals of an arrangement pitch Pa.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, the dummy electrode TDD according to thethird embodiment includes a conductive thin wire DL11, a conductive thinwire DL12, a conductive thin wire DL13, a conductive thin wire DL21, aconductive thin wire DL22, and a conductive thin wire DL23 arranged on aplane parallel to a counter substrate 3. Because a conductive thin wireDL31, a conductive thin wire DL32, and a conductive thin wire DL33 havea pattern obtained by repeating the same pattern as that of theconductive thin wire DL11, the conductive thin wire DL12, and theconductive thin wire DL13, the explanation thereof will be omitted.Because a conductive thin wire DL41, a conductive thin wire DL42, and aconductive thin wire DL43 have a pattern obtained by repeating the samepattern as that of the conductive thin wire DL21, the conductive thinwire DL22, and the conductive thin wire DL23, the explanation thereofwill be omitted.

The conductive thin wire DL11, the conductive thin wire DL12, and theconductive thin wire DL13 serve as a group to form a dummy electrode TDDaligning in the pixel array direction Dy. The conductive thin wire DL21,the conductive thin wire DL22, and the conductive thin wire DL23 alsoserve as a group to form a dummy electrode TDD aligning in the pixelarray direction Dy.

The conductive thin wire DL11 and the conductive thin wire DL21 adjacentto each other are arranged at an interval of the arrangement pitch Pa.Similarly, the conductive thin wire DL13 and the conductive thin wireDL23 adjacent to each other are arranged at an interval of thearrangement pitch Pa.

The conductive thin wire DL12 and the conductive thin wire DL22 adjacentto each other are arranged at an interval of an arrangement pitch Pb.The length of the arrangement pitch Pb is larger than that of thearrangement pitch Pa. The conductive thin wire DL22 and the conductivethin wire DL32 adjacent to each other are arranged at an interval of anarrangement pitch Pc. The length of the arrangement pitch Pc is smallerthan that of the arrangement pitch Pa. The sum of the length of thearrangement pitch Pb and the length of the arrangement pitch Pc is equalto twice the length of the arrangement pitch Pa. The difference betweenthe length of the arrangement pitch Pb and the length of the arrangementpitch Pc is preferably equal to a natural number of times as large asthe width of the sub-pixel SPix in the pixel orthogonal direction Dx.

In the display device 1 with a touch detecting function according to thethird embodiment having the configuration described above, theconductive thin wire DL11, the conductive thin wire DL12, the conductivethin wire DL13, the conductive thin wire DL21, the conductive thin wireDL22, and the conductive thin wire DL23 are discontinuously arranged.Thus, slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22, and St23 are formed.Similarly, the conductive thin wire DL31, the conductive thin wire DL32,the conductive thin wire DL33, the conductive thin wire DL41, theconductive thin wire DL42, and the conductive thin wire DL43 arediscontinuously arranged. Thus, slits St31, St32, St33, St41, St42, andSt43 are formed. The slit St11, for example, overlaps with the colorarea 32B and the color area 32R. The slit St21 closest to the slit St11in the pixel orthogonal direction Dx overlaps with the color area 32Rand the color area 32G. The color passing through the entire of thecolor area 32B and the color area 32R is different from the colorpassing through the entire of the color area 32R and the color area 32G.This reduces the possibility that light passing through the slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, St33, St41, St42, and St43changes the tone of the display area Ad provided with the dummyelectrode TDD. As a result, the display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction according to the third embodiment can make the slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, St33, St41, St42, and St43inconspicuous. This can reduce the possibility that the slits of thedummy electrode TDD are visually recognized.

Modification of the Third Embodiment

FIG. 19 is a schematic of arrangement of the touch detection electrodeand the dummy electrode according to a modification of the thirdembodiment. The touch detection electrode TDL may be arranged such thatthe arrangement pitch between conductive thin wires ML adjacent to eachother is adjusted to any one of the arrangement pitches Pa, Pb, and Pcof the dummy electrode TDD placed at the same position in the pixelorthogonal direction Dx. As illustrated in FIG. 19, for example, thearrangement pitch between conductive thin wires ML adjacent to eachother in the touch detection electrode TDL partially includes thearrangement pitch Pa and the arrangement pitch Pb. The change in thearrangement pitch between the conductive thin wires forms a gap betweenthe thin wire piece Ua and the thin wire piece Ub. The gap between thethin wire piece Ua and the thin wire piece Ub is bridged with conductiveparts TDC1 and TDC2 made of the same material as that of the thin wirepiece Ua and the thin wire piece Ub. This configuration makes theelectrode pattern of the dummy electrode TDD closer to the pattern ofthe touch detection electrode TDL. This can reduce the possibility thatthe dummy electrode TDD and the touch detection electrode TDL arevisually recognized.

1-4. Fourth Embodiment

The following describes a display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 20 is a schematic ofarrangement of a touch detection electrode and a dummy electrodeaccording to the fourth embodiment. Components similar to those of thefirst, the second, and the third embodiments are denoted by the samereference numerals, and an explanation thereof will be omitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, a touch detection electrode TDL according tothe fourth embodiment includes a plurality of conductive thin wires MLarranged in a manner extending in the pixel array direction Dy. Asdescribed above, the conductive thin wires ML are bent at an angle withrespect to the pixel array direction Dy, that is, at a predeterminedangle θc at each bent portion TDC.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, the touch detection electrode TDL accordingto the fourth embodiment includes a conductive thin wire DL10, aconductive thin wire DL11, a conductive thin wire DL12, a conductivethin wire DL13, a conductive thin wire DL20, a conductive thin wireDL21, a conductive thin wire DL22, and a conductive thin wire DL23arranged on a plane parallel to a counter substrate 3. Because aconductive thin wire DL30, a conductive thin wire DL31, a conductivethin wire DL32, and a conductive thin wire DL33 have a pattern obtainedby repeating the same pattern as that of the conductive thin wire DL10,the conductive thin wire DL11, the conductive thin wire DL12, and theconductive thin wire DL13, the explanation thereof will be omitted.Because a conductive thin wire DL40, a conductive thin wire DL41, aconductive thin wire DL42, and a conductive thin wire DL43 have apattern obtained by repeating the same pattern as that of the conductivethin wire DL20, the conductive thin wire DL21, the conductive thin wireDL22, and the conductive thin wire DL23, the explanation thereof will beomitted.

The conductive thin wire DL10, the conductive thin wire DL11, theconductive thin wire DL12, and the conductive thin wire DL13 serve as agroup to form a dummy electrode TDD aligning in the pixel arraydirection Dy. The conductive thin wire DL20, the conductive thin wireDL21, the conductive thin wire DL22, and the conductive thin wire DL23also serve as a group to form a dummy electrode TDD aligning in thepixel array direction Dy. A length Sw of a slit St illustrated in FIG.20 is smaller than the length WPix of the sub-pixel SPix in the pixelarray direction Dy. This configuration reduces the possibility that theslit St overlaps across a plurality of sub-pixels SPix.

The conductive thin wire DL11 and the conductive thin wire DL21 adjacentto each other are arranged at an interval of a constant arrangementpitch Pa at a bent portion TDDC in the pixel orthogonal direction Dx.Similarly, the conductive thin wire DL12 and the conductive thin wireDL22 adjacent to each other are arranged at an interval of the constantarrangement pitch Pa at the bent portion TDDC in the pixel orthogonaldirection Dx. The conductive thin wire DL11 and the conductive thin wireDL22 are bent at an angle with respect to the pixel array direction Dy,that is, at a predetermined angle θb at the bent portion TDDC. Theconductive thin wire DL12 and the conductive thin wire DL21 are bent atan angle with respect to the pixel array direction Dy, that is, at apredetermined angle θa at the bent portion TDDC. The predetermined angleθa is different from the predetermined angle θb. This configurationmakes the length of an arrangement pitch Pd between the slit St12 andthe slit St22 different from that of the arrangement pitch Pa. As aresult, the slit St12 overlaps with the color area 32G, whereas the slitSt22 overlaps with the color area 32R. The color of the color area withwhich the slit St22 closest to the slit St12 in the pixel orthogonaldirection Dx overlaps is different from that of the color area withwhich the slit St12 overlaps.

The slit St12 overlaps with the color area 32G, whereas the slit St13overlaps with the color area 32R. The color of the color area with whichthe slit St13 closest to the slit St12 in the pixel array direction Dyoverlaps is different from that of the color area with which the slitSt12 overlaps.

This reduces the possibility that light passing through the slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, St33, St41, St42, and St43changes the tone of the display area Ad provided with the dummyelectrode TDD. As a result, the display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction according to the fourth embodiment can make the slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, St33, St41, St42, and St43inconspicuous. This can reduce the possibility that the slits of thedummy electrode TDD are visually recognized.

Modification of the Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 21 is a schematic of arrangement of the touch detection electrodeand the dummy electrode according to a modification of the fourthembodiment. The conductive thin wire ML is bent at an angle with respectto the pixel array direction Dy, that is, at predetermined angles θc,θb, θc, and θa at the bent portion TDC, a bent portion TDC1, the bentportion TDC, and a bent portion TDC2, respectively. As described above,the conductive thin wire DL11 and the conductive thin wire DL22 are bentat an angle with respect to the pixel array direction Dy, that is, atthe predetermined angle θb at the bent portion TDDC. The conductive thinwire DL12 and the conductive thin wire DL21 are bent at an angle withrespect to the pixel array direction Dy, that is, at the predeterminedangle θa at the bent portion TDDC. With this configuration, the anglesformed by the conductive thin wire ML with respect to the pixel arraydirection Dy at the bent portions TDC are the same as the respectiveangles formed by the conductive thin wire DL11 and the conductive thinwire DL22 with respect to the pixel array direction Dy at the bentportions TDDC viewed in the pixel orthogonal direction Dx. Thisconfiguration makes the electrode pattern of the dummy electrode TDDcloser to the pattern of the touch detection electrode TDL. This canreduce the possibility that the dummy electrode TDD and the touchdetection electrode TDL are visually recognized.

1-5. Fifth Embodiment

The following describes a display device 1 with a touch detectingfunction according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 22 is a schematic ofarrangement of a touch detection electrode and a dummy electrodeaccording to the fifth embodiment. Components similar to those of thefirst, the second, the third, and the fourth embodiments are denoted bythe same reference numerals, and an explanation thereof will be omitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 22, a touch detection electrode TDL according tothe fifth embodiment includes a conductive thin wire ML1 and aconductive thin wire ML2 extending in the pixel array direction Dy on aplane parallel to a counter substrate 3. The conductive thin wire ML1and the conductive thin wire ML2 serve as a pair to form an area TDA. Anend ML1 e of the conductive thin wire ML1 and an end ML2 e of theconductive thin wire ML2 are coupled via a first conductive part TDB1,thereby establishing electrical continuity therebetween.

The conductive thin wire ML1 corresponds to the conductive thin wire MLdescribed in the first embodiment. The conductive thin wire ML2 isline-symmetrical to the conductive thin wire ML1 with respect to a lineparallel to the pixel array direction Dy. The conductive thin wire ML2is made of the same material as that of the conductive thin wire ML1.The conductive thin wire ML2 is arranged so as to form an intersectionTDX to which a bent portion TDC of the conductive thin wire ML1 and abent portion TDC of the conductive thin wire ML2 are connected. Theconductive thin wire ML1 and the conductive thin wire ML2 establishelectrical continuity therebetween at the intersection TDX. Thus, theconductive thin wire ML1 and the conductive thin wire ML2 form amesh-like surrounded area mesh1 surrounded by thin wire pieces Ua andthin wire pieces Ub. The conductive thin wire ML1 and the conductivethin wire ML2 are not necessarily connected to each other at the bentportion TDC. The conductive thin wire ML1 and the conductive thin wireML2, for example, may be connected to each other at an intermediateportion of the thin wire piece Ua of the conductive thin wire ML1 and anintermediate portion of the thin wire piece Ub of the conductive thinwire ML2, thereby establishing electrical continuity therebetween.

A dummy electrode TDD includes a thin wire piece Uc and a thin wirepiece Ud. The thin wire piece Uc is arranged parallel to the thin wirepiece Ua, whereas the thin wire piece Ud is arranged parallel to thethin wire piece Ub. The thin wire piece Uc and the thin wire piece Udare arranged such that the area of a surrounded area mesh2 surrounded bytwo thin wire pieces Uc and two thin wire pieces Ud is the same as thatof the surrounded area mesh1. This configuration reduces the differencein the light-shielding property between the area in which the touchdetection electrode TDL is arranged and the area in which no touchdetection electrode TDL is arranged. This can reduce the possibilitythat the touch detection electrode TDL is likely to be visuallyrecognized.

FIG. 23 is a schematic of arrangement of the touch detection electrodeand the dummy electrode according to a modification of the fifthembodiment. The thin wire piece Uc is a pattern made of a conductivematerial extending at an angle with respect to the pixel array directionDy. The thin wire piece Ud is a pattern made of a conductive materialextending in a direction different from the direction in which the thinwire piece Uc extends. The thin wire piece Uc has substantially the samesize as that of the thin wire piece Ua and is arranged parallel to thedirection in which the thin wire piece Ua extends. The thin wire pieceUd has substantially the same size as that of the thin wire piece Ub andis arranged parallel to the direction in which the thin wire piece Ubextends. A slit St illustrated in FIG. 23 is also provided at theposition of a bent portion TDDC illustrated in FIG. 22. The slit Stillustrated in FIG. 23 is provided between the thin wire piece Uc andthe thin wire piece Ud. The thin wire piece Uc and the thin wire pieceUd are bent at a predetermined angle at each slit St. Thus, thesurrounded area mesh2 surrounded by two thin wire pieces Uc and two thinwire pieces Ud is defined.

With these configurations, even if a part of one of the conductive thinwire ML1 and the conductive thin wire ML2 is formed thin, thereby makingelectrical continuity unreliable, the display device 1 with a touchdetecting function according to the fifth embodiment and themodification thereof can have an increased probability of touchdetection because of the intersection TDX coupling the one conductivethin wire to the other conductive thin wire.

FIG. 24 is a view for explaining the positional relation between slitsof the dummy electrode and the color areas of the display area accordingto the fifth embodiment. The dummy electrode TDD includes a plurality ofconductive thin wires DL arranged at intervals of an arrangement pitchPP. A conductive thin wire ML and the conductive thin wire DL arearranged in a manner extending in an extending direction Dr inclined ata predetermined angle with respect to the pixel array direction Dy.Slits St11, St13, St22, St31, and St33 overlap with the color area 32R.A Slit St23 overlaps with the color area 32G. Slits St21, St12, and St32overlap with the color area 32B.

The slits St closest to one another in the pixel orthogonal directionDx, that is, the slits St12, St22, and St32 belonging to an area DS, forexample, overlap with respective color areas of different colors. Thecolor areas with which the slits St12, St22, and St32 overlap can beselected by adjusting inclination of a direction Ds in which the slitsSt12, St22, and St32 belonging to the area DS are arranged with respectto the pixel orthogonal direction Dx, and by adjusting the arrangementpitch PP. The slits St closest to one another in the pixel arraydirection Dy, that is, the slits St11, St12, and St13 belonging to anarea DR, for example, overlap with the color area 32R and the color area32B alternately. The color of the color area 32R is different from thatof the color area 32B as described above. The color areas with which theslits St11, St12, and St13 overlap can be selected by adjustinginclination of a direction Dr in which the slits St11, St12, and St13belonging to the area DR are arranged with respect to the pixel arraydirection Dy, and by adjusting the arrangement pitch PP.

In the display device 1 with a touch detecting function according to thefifth embodiment, the color of the color area 32R in the display area Adwith which the slit St11 overlaps is different from that of the colorarea 32B in the display area Ad with which the slit St12, arrangedclosest to the slit St11 in the pixel array direction Dy, overlaps.Thus, the color areas with which the slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22,St23, St31, St32, and St33 overlap are not limited to the color area32R. The color areas with which the slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22,St23, St31, St32, and St33 overlap are the color area 32R, the colorarea 32G, and the color area 32B. As a result, nearly the same amount oflight is output from the color area 32R as the amount of light outputfrom the other color areas 32G and 32B through any of the slits St11,St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, and St33 in the display areaAd provided with the dummy electrode TDD. This reduces the possibilitythat the light passing through the slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22,St23, St31, St32, and St33 changes the tone of the display area Adprovided with the dummy electrode TDD. As a result, the display device 1with a touch detecting function according to the fifth embodiment canmake the slits St11, St12, St13, St21, St22, St23, St31, St32, and St33inconspicuous. This can reduce the possibility that the slits of thedummy electrode TDD are visually recognized.

In the display device 1 with a touch detecting function according to thefifth embodiment, the color areas with which the intersections TDX ofthe mesh-like conductive thin wires ML overlap are not limited to thecolor area 32R. The color areas with which the intersections TDX overlapare the color area 32R, the color area 32G, and the color area 32B. Thisreduces deviation of the color areas in which the intersections TDXblock light. Thus, it is possible to reduce fluctuations in the tone ofthe display area Ad provided with the touch detection electrode TDL.

1-6. Modifications of the Embodiments

The following describes modifications having a configuration applicableto the first, the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifthembodiments and the modifications thereof (hereinafter, referred to asthe present embodiments). Components similar to those of the first, thesecond, the third, the fourth, and the fifth embodiment are denoted bythe same reference numerals, and an explanation thereof will be omitted.FIG. 25 is a schematic for explaining a pixel array direction accordingto the present embodiments.

The color areas 32R, 32G, and 32B are associated with the respectivesub-pixels SPix. The color areas 32R, 32G, and 32B serve as a group toform the pixel Pix. As illustrated in FIG. 25, the pixels Pix arearranged in a matrix in a direction parallel to the scanning line GCLand a direction parallel to the signal line SGL. The pixels Pix arearranged such that color areas of the same color are not arranged sideby side in the direction parallel to the scanning line GCL or thedirection parallel to the signal line SGL.

The pixel array direction Dy is a direction in which the color areashaving the highest human visibility are aligned. G (green) has thehighest human visibility of the three colors of R (red), G (green), andB (blue). Because the color areas 32G are aligned in the diagonaldirection of the color areas 32G in FIG. 25, the pixel array directionDy corresponds to the diagonal direction of the color areas 32G.

The following describes another pixel array direction. FIG. 26 is aschematic for explaining another pixel array direction according to thepresent embodiments. The color areas 32R, 32G, 32B, and 32W of fourcolors of R (red), G (green), B (blue), and W (white) are associatedwith the respective sub-pixels SPix. The color areas 32R, 32G, and 32Bor the color areas 32R, 32G, and 32W serve as a group to form the pixelPix. The pixel Pix formed of the color areas 32R, 32G, and 32B isreferred to as a pixel Pix1, whereas the pixel Pix formed of the colorareas 32R, 32G, and 32W is referred to as a pixel Pix2. As illustratedin FIG. 26, the pixels Pix are arranged in a matrix in a directionparallel to the scanning line GCL and a direction parallel to the signalline SGL. The pixel Pix1 and the pixel Pix2 are arranged such thatpixels Pix of the same type are not arranged side by side in thedirection parallel to the scanning line GCL or the direction parallel tothe signal line SGL.

The pixel array direction Dy is a direction in which the color areashaving the highest human visibility are aligned. W (white) has thehighest human visibility of the four colors of R (red), G (green), B(blue), and W (white). Because there is no section in which the colorareas 32W are arranged side by side, the color areas 32W have noalignment direction. In this case, the direction in which the colorareas having the second highest human visibility are aligned correspondsto the pixel array direction Dy. Except for W (white), G (green) has thehighest human visibility of the three colors of R (red), G (green), andB (blue). Because the color areas 32G are aligned in the directionparallel to the signal line SGL in FIG. 26, the pixel array direction Dycorresponds to the direction parallel to the signal line SGL.

While the pixel array direction Dy has been explained on the assumptionthat the sub-pixel SPix has a schematically rectangular shape, thesignal line SGL may be bent. FIG. 27 is a schematic for explaining thepixel array direction according to the present embodiments. FIG. 28 isanother schematic for explaining the pixel array direction according tothe present embodiments. If the signal line SGL winds as illustrated inFIG. 27 and FIG. 28, the pixel array direction Dy can be determined byassuming the sub-pixel SPix to be a rectangle. Thus, the features of thepresent embodiments can be achieved.

The following describes another example of the schematic sectionalstructure of the display unit with a touch detecting function accordingto the present embodiments. FIG. 29 is a sectional view of a schematicsectional structure of the display unit with a touch detecting functionaccording to the present embodiments. In the display device 1 with atouch detecting function according to the present embodiments, thedisplay unit 10 with a touch detecting function is formed by integratingthe liquid-crystal display unit 20 provided with liquid crystals ofvarious types of modes, such as the FFS mode and the IPS mode, and thetouch detecting device 30. Instead of this, as illustrated in FIG. 29, adisplay unit 10 with a touch detecting function according to the presentembodiments may be formed by integrating liquid crystals of varioustypes of modes, such as a twisted nematic (TN) mode, a verticalalignment (VA) mode, and an electrically controlled birefringence (ECB)mode, and a touch detecting device.

2. Application Examples

The following describes application examples of the displaying device 1with a touch detecting function explained in the embodiments and themodifications with reference to FIG. 30 to FIG. 42. FIG. 30 to FIG. 42are schematics of examples of an electronic apparatus to which thedisplay device with a touch detecting function or the display deviceaccording to the present embodiments is applied. The display device 1with a touch detecting function and the display device according to thepresent embodiments and the modifications are applicable to electronicapparatuses of all fields, such as television apparatuses, digitalcameras, notebook personal computers, portable electronic apparatusesincluding mobile phones, and video cameras. In other words, the displaydevice 1 with a touch detecting function and the display deviceaccording to the present embodiments and the modifications areapplicable to electronic apparatuses of all fields that display videosignals received from the outside or video signals generated insidethereof as an image or video.

2-1. First Application Example

An electronic apparatus illustrated in FIG. 30 is a television apparatusto which the display device 1 with a touch detecting function and thedisplay device according to the present embodiments and themodifications are applied. The television apparatus has a video displayscreen 510 including a front panel 511 and a filter glass 512, forexample. The video display screen 510 corresponds to the display device1 with a touch detecting function and the display device according tothe present embodiments and the modifications.

2-2. Second Application Example

An electronic apparatus illustrated in FIG. 31 and FIG. 32 is a digitalcamera to which the display device 1 with a touch detecting function andthe display device according to the present embodiments and themodifications are applied. The digital camera includes a light emittingunit 521 for flash, a display unit 522, a menu switch 523, and a shutterbutton 524, for example. The display unit 522 corresponds to the displaydevice 1 with a touch detecting function and the display deviceaccording to the present embodiments and the modifications.

2-3. Third Application Example

An electronic apparatus illustrated in FIG. 33 is a video camera towhich the display device 1 with a touch detecting function and thedisplay device according to the present embodiments and themodifications are applied. The video camera includes a main body 531, alens 532 provided to the front side surface of the main body 531 andused for photographing a subject, a start/stop switch 533 used inphotographing, and a display unit 534, for example. The display unit 534corresponds to the display device 1 with a touch detecting function andthe display device according to the present embodiments and themodifications.

2-4. Fourth Application Example

An electronic apparatus illustrated in FIG. 34 is a notebook personalcomputer to which the display device 1 with a touch detecting functionand the display device according to the present embodiments and themodifications are applied. The notebook personal computer includes amain body 541, a keyboard 542 used for input of characters, and adisplay unit 543 that displays an image, for example. The display unit543 corresponds to the display device 1 with a touch detecting functionand the display device according to the present embodiments and themodifications.

2-5. Fifth Application Example

An electronic apparatus illustrated in FIG. 35 to FIG. 40 is a mobilephone to which the display device 1 with a touch detecting function andthe display device according to the present embodiments and themodifications are applied. The mobile phone includes an upper housing551 and a lower housing 552 connected by a connection (a hinge) 553, forexample. The mobile phone includes a display 554, a sub-display 555, apicture light 556, and a camera 557. The display 554 and/or thesub-display 555 correspond to the display device 1 with a touchdetecting function and the display device according to the presentembodiments and the modifications.

2-6. Sixth Application Example

An electronic apparatus illustrated in FIG. 41 operates as a mobilecomputer, a multifunctional mobile phone, a mobile computer capable ofmaking a voice call, or a mobile computer capable of performingcommunications. The electronic apparatus is a portable informationterminal, which may be called a smartphone or a tablet terminal. Theportable information terminal includes a display unit 562 on the surfaceof a housing 561, for example. The display unit 562 corresponds to thedisplay device 1 with a touch detecting function and the display deviceaccording to the present embodiments and the modifications.

3. Aspects of the Present Disclosure

The present disclosure includes the following aspects.

(1) A display device with a touch detecting function comprising:

a substrate;

a display area in which pixels each composed of a plurality of colorareas are arranged in a matrix on a plane parallel to a surface of thesubstrate;

a touch detection electrode including a first conductive thin wireextending in a first direction on a plane parallel to the surface of thesubstrate;

a dummy electrode provided to an area in which the first conductive thinwire is not arranged in a direction perpendicular to the surface of thesubstrate and including a plurality of second conductive thin wires;

a drive electrode having capacitance for the touch detection electrode;and

a display functional layer having a function to display an image on thedisplay area, wherein

each of the second conductive thin wires includes a plurality of thinwire pieces extending in a direction different from the first directionand is divided by a slit between the thin wire pieces, and

a color area in the display area with which the slit overlaps has adifferent color from a color area in the display area with which a slitclosest to the slit in a second direction orthogonal to the firstdirection overlaps.

(2) The display device with a touch detecting function according to (1),wherein the color of the color area in the display area with which theslit overlaps has a different color from a color area in the displayarea with which a slit closest to the slit in the first directionoverlaps.(3) The display device with a touch detecting function according to (1),wherein

the second conductive thin wires are provided parallel to the firstdirection,

each of the second conductive thin wires comprises:

-   -   a first thin wire piece arranged at a first arrangement pitch in        the second direction; and    -   a second thin wire piece arranged at a second arrangement pitch        different from the first arrangement pitch in the second        direction, and

the first thin wire piece and the second thin wire piece are separatedby the slit.

(4) The display device with a touch detecting function according to (1),wherein the first thin wire piece is as long as the second thin wirepiece in the first direction.

(5) The display device with a touch detecting function according to (3),wherein the first conductive thin wire is provided in plurality parallelto a pixel array direction, in which the pixels are arranged, and isarranged such that an arrangement pitch between first conductive thinwires adjacent to each other partially includes the first arrangementpitch and the second arrangement pitch.(6) The display device with a touch detecting function according to (1),wherein each of the second conductive thin wires includes the thin wirepieces in a linear shape having a first end and a second end, includes abent portion where the second end of one thin wire piece of thin wirepieces adjacent to each other and the first end of the other thin wirepiece of the two thin wire pieces are connected, and is arranged suchthat the one thin wire piece extends at an angle with respect to thefirst direction and the other thin wire piece extends in a directiondifferent from the direction of the one thin wire piece in a mannerchanging the angle with respect to the first direction at the bentportion.(7) The display device with a touch detecting function according to (6),wherein, when the angle with respect to the first direction at the bentportion is a first angle, an angle with respect to the first directionat a bent portion closest to the bent portion in the first direction isa second angle different from the first angle.(8) The display device with a touch detecting function according to (1),wherein the first conductive thin wire has a mesh shape including anintersection, and each of the second conductive thin wires has the slitat a portion corresponding to the intersection.(9) A display device with a touch detecting function comprising:

a substrate;

a display area in which pixels each composed of a plurality of colorareas are arranged in a matrix on a plane parallel to a surface of thesubstrate;

a touch detection electrode including a first conductive thin wireextending in a first direction on a plane parallel to the surface of thesubstrate;

a dummy electrode provided to an area in which the first conductive thinwire is not arranged in a direction perpendicular to the surface of thesubstrate and including a plurality of second conductive thin wires;

a drive electrode having capacitance for the touch detection electrode;and

a display functional layer having a function to display an image on thedisplay area, wherein

the second conductive thin wires are provided parallel to a pixel arraydirection, in which the pixels are arranged,

each of the second conductive thin wires comprises:

-   -   a first thin wire piece having a portion extending in a        direction different from the first direction and arranged at a        first arrangement pitch in a second direction orthogonal to the        first direction; and    -   a second thin wire piece having a portion extending in a        direction different from the first direction, being as long as        the first thin wire piece in the first direction, and arranged        at a second arrangement pitch different from the first        arrangement pitch in the second direction, and

the first thin wire piece and the second thin wire piece are arranged soas not to overlap with each other in the first direction, and an end ofthe first thin wire piece and an end of the second thin wire piece arearranged in the second direction and do not overlap with each other,thereby forming a slit to divide the second conductive thin wire.

(10) An electronic apparatus comprising a display device with a touchdetecting function, wherein

the display device with a touch detecting function comprises:

-   -   a substrate;    -   a display area in which pixels each composed of a plurality of        color areas are arranged in a matrix on a plane parallel to a        surface of the substrate;    -   a touch detection electrode including a first conductive thin        wire extending in a first direction on a plane parallel to the        surface of the substrate;    -   a dummy electrode provided to an area in which the first        conductive thin wire is not arranged in a direction        perpendicular to the surface of the substrate and including a        plurality of second conductive thin wires;    -   a drive electrode having capacitance for the touch detection        electrode; and    -   a display functional layer having a function to display an image        on the display area,

each of the second conductive thin wires includes a plurality of thinwire pieces extending in a direction different from the first directionand is divided by a slit between the thin wire pieces, and

a color area in the display area with which the slit overlaps has adifferent color from a color area in the display area with which a slitclosest to the slit in a second direction orthogonal to the firstdirection overlaps.

(11) An electronic apparatus comprising a display device with a touchdetecting function, wherein

the display device with a touch detecting function comprises:

-   -   a substrate;    -   a display area in which pixels each composed of a plurality of        color areas are arranged in a matrix in a first direction on a        plane parallel to a surface of the substrate;    -   a touch detection electrode including a first conductive thin        wire extending on a plane parallel to the surface of the        substrate;    -   a dummy electrode provided to an area in which the first        conductive thin wire is not arranged in a direction        perpendicular to the surface of the substrate and including a        plurality of second conductive thin wires;    -   a drive electrode having capacitance for the touch detection        electrode; and    -   a display functional layer having a function to display an image        on the display area,

the second conductive thin wires are provided parallel to a pixel arraydirection, in which the pixels are arranged,

each of the second conductive thin wires comprises:

-   -   a first thin wire piece having a portion extending in a        direction different from the first direction and arranged at a        first arrangement pitch in a second direction orthogonal to the        first direction; and    -   a second thin wire piece having a portion extending in a        direction different from the first direction, being as long as        the first thin wire piece in the first direction, and arranged        at a second arrangement pitch different from the first        arrangement pitch in the second direction, and

the first thin wire piece and the second thin wire piece are arranged soas not to overlap with each other in the first direction, and an end ofthe first thin wire piece and an end of the second thin wire piece arearranged in the second direction and do not overlap with each other,thereby forming a slit to divide the second conductive thin wire.

The electronic apparatus according to the present disclosure includesthe above-mentioned display device with a touch detecting function.Examples of the electronic apparatus according to the present disclosureinclude, but are not limited to, television apparatuses, digitalcameras, personal computers, video cameras, and portable electronicapparatuses, such as mobile phones.

The display device with a touch detecting function and the electronicapparatus according to the present disclosure can reduce the possibilitythat a slit of the dummy electrode made of a conductive material, whichhardly transmits light, is visually recognized.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present subjectmatter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is thereforeintended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appendedclaims.

The invention is claimed as follows:
 1. A display device with a touchdetecting function comprising: a substrate; a display area in whichpixels each composed of a plurality of color areas are arranged parallelto a surface of the substrate; a touch detection electrode including apair of first conductive thin wires, and a pair of conductive parts, oneof the conductive parts connecting first ends of the first conductivethin wires, and the other of the conductive parts connecting second endsof the first conductive thin wires; a dummy electrode provided to anarea surrounded by the touch detection electrode and including aplurality of second conductive thin wires, a width of each of the secondconductive thin wires being the same as a width of each of the firstconductive thin wires; a drive electrode forming a capacitance with thetouch detection electrode when a drive signal is provided; and a displayfunctional layer having a function to display an image on the displayarea, wherein each of the first conductive thin wires includes aplurality of first conductive thin wire pieces extending in a firstdirection and a plurality of second conductive thin wire piecesextending in a second direction crossing the first direction, each ofthe second conductive thin wires includes at least a pair of thirdconductive thin wire pieces extending in the first direction and a pairof fourth conductive thin wire pieces extending in the second direction,the pair of the third conductive thin wire pieces extends along the oneof the first conductive thin wire pieces, the pair of the fourthconductive thin wire pieces extends along the second direction, and adistance between one of the third conductive thin wire pieces and one ofthe first conductive thin wire pieces that is closest to the one of thethird conductive thin wire pieces is shorter than a distance between thepair of the third conductive thin wire pieces.
 2. The display devicewith a touch detecting function according to claim 1, wherein one of thethird conductive thin wire pieces is connected with one of the fourthconductive thin wire pieces.
 3. The display device with a touchdetecting function according to claim 1, wherein both ends of each ofthe pair of the third conductive thin wires face the pair of conductiveparts, respectively, with a gap therebetween.
 4. The display device witha touch detecting function according to claim 1, wherein a gap isprovided between one of the third conductive thin wire pieces and one ofthe fourth conductive thin wire pieces which are located next to eachother.
 5. The display device with a touch detecting function accordingto claim 1, wherein the touch detection electrode has a mesh shapeincluding an intersection at which a pair of the first conductive thinwire pieces and at least one of the second conductive thin wire piecesare crossing.
 6. A touch panel comprising: a substrate; a touchdetection electrode including a pair of first conductive thin wires, anda pair of conductive parts, one of the conductive parts connecting firstends of the first conductive thin wires, and the other of the conductiveparts connecting second ends of the first conductive thin wires; and adummy electrode provided to an area surrounded by the touch detectionelectrode and including a plurality of second conductive thin wires, awidth of each of the second conductive thin wires being the same as awidth of each of the first conductive thin wires, wherein each of thefirst conductive thin wires includes a plurality of first conductivethin wire pieces extending in a first direction and a plurality ofsecond conductive thin wire pieces extending in a second directioncrossing the first direction, each of the second conductive thin wiresincludes at least a pair of third conductive thin wire pieces extendingin the first direction and a pair of fourth conductive thin wire piecesextending in the second direction, the pair of the third conductive thinwire pieces extends along the one of the first conductive thin wirepieces, and the pair of the fourth conductive thin wire pieces extendsalong the second direction, and a distance between one of the thirdconductive thin wire pieces and one of the first conductive thin wirepieces that is closest to the one of the third conductive thin wirepieces is shorter than a distance between the pair of the thirdconductive thin wire pieces.
 7. The touch panel according to claim 6,wherein one of the third conductive thin wire pieces is connected withone of the fourth conductive thin wire pieces.
 8. The touch panelaccording to claim 6, wherein both ends of each of the pair of the thirdconductive thin wires face the pair of conductive parts, respectively,with a gap therebetween.
 9. The touch panel according to claim 6,wherein a gap is provided between one of the third conductive thin wirepieces and one of the fourth conductive thin wire pieces which arelocated next to each other.
 10. The touch panel according to claim 6,wherein the touch detection electrode has a mesh shape including anintersection at which a pair of the first conductive thin wire piecesand at least one of the second conductive thin wire pieces are crossing.11. A display device with a touch detecting function comprising: asubstrate; a display area in which pixels each composed of a pluralityof color areas are arranged parallel to a surface of the substrate; atouch detection electrode including a pair of first conductive thinwires, and a pair of conductive parts, one of the conductive partsconnecting first ends of the first conductive thin wires, and the otherof the conductive parts connecting second ends of the first conductivethin wires; a dummy electrode provided to an area surrounded by thetouch detection electrode and including a plurality of second conductivethin wires, a width of each of the second conductive thin wires beingthe same as a width of each of the first conductive thin wires; a driveelectrode forming a capacitance with the touch detection electrode whena drive signal is provided; and a display functional layer having afunction to display an image on the display area, wherein each of thefirst conductive thin wires includes a plurality of first conductivethin wire pieces extending in a first direction and a plurality ofsecond conductive thin wire pieces extending in a second directioncrossing the first direction, each of the second conductive thin wiresincludes at least a pair of third conductive thin wire pieces extendingin the first direction and a pair of fourth conductive thin wire piecesextending in the second direction, the pair of the third conductive thinwire pieces extends along the one of the first conductive thin wirepieces, the pair of the fourth conductive thin wire pieces extends alongthe second direction, and a gap is provided between one of the thirdconductive thin wire pieces and one of the fourth conductive thin wirepieces which are located next to each other.
 12. The display device witha touch detecting function according to claim 11, wherein one of thethird conductive thin wire pieces is connected with one of the fourthconductive thin wire pieces.
 13. The display device with a touchdetecting function according to claim 11, wherein a distance between oneof the third conductive thin wire pieces and one of the first conductivethin wire pieces that is closest to the one of the third conductive thinwire pieces is shorter than a distance between the pair of the thirdconductive thin wire pieces.
 14. The display device with a touchdetecting function according to claim 11, wherein both ends of each ofthe pair of the third conductive thin wires face the pair of conductiveparts, respectively, with a gap therebetween.
 15. The display devicewith a touch detecting function according to claim 11, wherein the touchdetection electrode has a mesh shape including an intersection at whicha pair of the first conductive thin wire pieces and at least one of thesecond conductive thin wire pieces are crossing.
 16. A touch panelcomprising: a substrate; a touch detection electrode including a pair offirst conductive thin wires, and a pair of conductive parts, one of theconductive parts connecting first ends of the first conductive thinwires, and the other of the conductive parts connecting second ends ofthe first conductive thin wires; and a dummy electrode provided to anarea surrounded by the touch detection electrode and including aplurality of second conductive thin wires, a width of each of the secondconductive thin wires being the same as a width of each of the firstconductive thin wires, wherein each of the first conductive thin wiresincludes a plurality of first conductive thin wire pieces extending in afirst direction and a plurality of second conductive thin wire piecesextending in a second direction crossing the first direction, each ofthe second conductive thin wires includes at least a pair of thirdconductive thin wire pieces extending in the first direction and a pairof fourth conductive thin wire pieces extending in the second direction,the pair of the third conductive thin wire pieces extends along the oneof the first conductive thin wire pieces, the pair of the fourthconductive thin wire pieces extends along the second direction, and agap is provided between one of the third conductive thin wire pieces andone of the fourth conductive thin wire pieces which are located next toeach other.
 17. The touch panel according to claim 16, wherein one ofthe third conductive thin wire pieces is connected with one of thefourth conductive thin wire pieces.
 18. The touch panel according toclaim 16, wherein a distance between one of the third conductive thinwire pieces and one of the first conductive thin wire pieces that isclosest to the one of the third conductive thin wire pieces is shorterthan a distance between the pair of the third conductive thin wirepieces.
 19. The touch panel according to claim 16, wherein both ends ofeach of the pair of the third conductive thin wires face the pair ofconductive parts, respectively, with a gap therebetween.
 20. The touchpanel according to claim 16, wherein the touch detection electrode has amesh shape including an intersection at which a pair of the firstconductive thin wire pieces and at least one of the second conductivethin wire pieces are crossing.